About us

The Shediac Bay Watershed Association What is a Watershed State of the Bay Report Board of Directors Funder and Partners Staff Contact us

The Shediac Bay Watershed Association (SBWA) was founded in 1999 as a result of growing concerns among residents from various local communities over the ecological health of the Bay of Shediac. The Association deals with issues related to water quality and habitat integrity.

The Shediac Bay Watershed Association is dedicated to monitoring and protecting water quality and natural habitats. Our mission is dedicated to preserving and enhancing the health of our watershed and the quality of our water.

As a resident of the Shediac Bay watershed, you can play your part to ensure your continued enjoyment of the waterways you use and value. Help us restore, enhance and protect living resources, their habitats and ecological relationships to sustain all economic activities in our watershed and provide for a balanced ecosystem.

Vision – A healthy watershed that preserves the quality of our water and the health of our ecosystem.

Mission – Our mission is to preserve and enhance the quality of our watershed, for people and wildlife.

Focus – Our focus is the preservation of our ecosystems, including the wetlands, sand dunes, forests, rivers and streams that sustain life in our marine and freshwater ecosystems, as well as protecting the water quality within the Shediac Bay watershed.

Stakeholders – Our stakeholders include residents within the Shediac Bay watershed boundaries, local businesses, fisheries and aquaculture, tourists, recreational users, municipalities, provincial and federal governments.

The Shediac Bay Watershed

A watershed is an area with natural boundaries, where water from rain and snowmelt flows through streams and rivers to a lower-lying body of water, such as a lake or bay.

No matter where we are, we are always in a watershed. Understanding how our activities affect our watershed is important to protecting water quality in our communities.

The Shediac Bay watershed area covers 419.1 km2 of land area and stretches along approximately 36 km of coastline, from Cap de Cocagne to Cap Bimet, in south-eastern New Brunswick. The watershed’s boundaries extend inland from Scoudouc to Lutes Mountain.

Reports on the Environment of Shediac Bay and the Association

Two summary reports have been produced on the Environment of the Shediac Bay Watershed and the work accomplished by the Association.

In 2006, a first report on the Shediac Bay Watershed focused on general information and issues impacting the environment. The report also presented the priority areas for the Association. The report was published with support from the Environmental Trust Fund, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and the Shediac Rotary Club. You can read this report here – Status of the Shediac Bay and its Watershed-2006

In 2017, the information was updated in a second volume of the State of the Shediac Bay and its Watershed Report. The second volume focused on the Shediac Bay Watershed Association history and projects that evaluate and improve environmental health. The report was produced with support from the Environmental Trust Fund, The Town of Shediac and Uni Coopération financière. You can find this report here – Status of the Shediac Bay and its watershed- Volume 2

To celebrate the 25^th anniversary of the SBWA, a third volume of this report was published in 2024. This edition provides insight on the issues around water quality and habitat integrity around the Shediac Bay. The report also brings forward the notions of how integrated watershed management and best land use practices can help our community reach its goal of a healthy watershed. The report was produced with support from the New Brunswick Environmental Trust Fund. You can find this report here – Status of the Shediac Bay and its Watershed – Volume 3